


Pull Me Back (With Your Quiet Smile)

by Harryskiwiposes



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Fluff and Angst, M/M, Miscommunication, Misunderstandings, No Smut, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-23
Updated: 2018-08-23
Packaged: 2019-07-01 13:04:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15774678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Harryskiwiposes/pseuds/Harryskiwiposes
Summary: Harry followed Louis into the bathroom, “And I don’t understand why you just couldn’t stay in the car like I asked you to. You know, you never listen to me when I -”“In case you forgot, we broke up - and if you want to get technical about it - you broke up with me so therefore I don’t have to listen to you anymore.”“You know what Louis, just fucking forget it. Hurry up so we can get out of here and I can drop you off, I’ve had enough for tonight.”“Yeah, well the feeling is mutual.”They left the bathroom a few minutes later after having washed up and when they opened the door, stepping out into the store, the entire building was dark and quiet. The lights were turned off and there weren’t any people anywhere.They took a look around and then to each other, Louis speaking first, “Are we….oh my god, Harry!  Are we locked in?”Louis took off running for the front doors and Harry let out a deep breath as he followed, this night was not going at all as he had hoped.Or - Getting locked in a Target overnight might just be the best thing to happen, might just be the turning point, might just be the second chance that they've both been looking for.





	Pull Me Back (With Your Quiet Smile)

**Author's Note:**

> This is for YOU.
> 
> The one who is having a shit day, the one who thinks life sucks, the one who is lonely, the one who is beat down, the one who is wondering when things will get better, the one who wants to make a change, the one who is constantly questioning themself, the one who is scared, the one who is nervous, the one who feels unloved, the one who doesn't know what to do next or where to turn next, the one who is in a never-ending state of 'why me', the one who is just trying to make it until the end of the day and then will try and make it until the end of tomorrow.
> 
> I understand, I sympathize, I love you.
> 
> You are me.
> 
> I am you.
> 
> And this is for you.
> 
> ***
> 
> Title comes from “Just You And Me” by Rie Sinclair and Jayson Belt.
> 
> Plot loosely based on “Castaways” - Season 6, Episode 15 of Dawson’s Creek (AKA one of the best episodes of the whole show).
> 
> I own nothing except the words (and mistakes) written below.
> 
> Please do not repost this anywhere. I am not allowing for any reposts or translations. Thank you for understanding.
> 
> Without further ado....
> 
> Enjoy!

***************

“Help! No! Come back! Help!”

Louis continued banging on the door and yelling at the top of his lungs, although the person walking across the parking lot and away from them didn’t seem to hear him.

“Help! Please!”

“Lou. Stop. They’re obviously not coming back.”

“You know” he turned his head and looked towards Harry, “you could at least try to help me. I would _really_ like to get out of here _soon._ ”

“Why?”

“Why? Oh my god, you cannot be serious right now! Why? Because I am locked inside of a Target and I really don’t want to be! Plus I’m locked inside of a Target with you and I _definitely_ don’t want to be!”

“Oh please. It’s not _that_ bad, it might even be fun.” Harry motioned behind him, “We have the entire place all to ourselves, the whole store. C’mon live a little. And you’re acting like I’m the big bad wolf or something.”

“Same difference. Wait. Weren’t you the one who was in a big rush to get in and get out? Now all of a sudden you’re ‘Mr. Look On The Bright Side” - yeah right. I’m not buying it.” He turned his attention back to the parking lot and saw the car pulling out and turning onto the main road, leaving Harry’s as the only car left parked in the dimly lit lot. “Fuck!” He held out his hand, palm up “where’s your phone?”

“In the car” he said sighing, then added “wait, where’s yours?”

“In my jacket - which is in the car.” Louis replied, leaning his forehead against the door, staring into the darkness.

“You do know this is all your fault right?” Harry said, turning and walking away from Louis and into the empty store.

“Woah, woah, woah!” Louis pushed off of the door and began following after Harry. “No, no, no! No way is this _my_ fault!”

Without looking back, Harry continued “oh but it is. If you had just waited in the car like I had asked you to, we wouldn’t have gotten locked in here in the first place.”

“Fuck you! I had to pee! I told you a million times that I had to pee, but nooooooo - _you_ insisted on stopping!” Louis rushed in front of Harry, poking him in the chest. “Come to think of it - this is actually _your_ fault. Who the fuck needs laundry detergent at eleven pm on a Saturday night? You hate doing laundry. There’s no way you were actually going to be doing any laun -” Realization hit Louis all of a sudden, “Oh my fucking god!” He yelled again, his voice echoing throughout the vacant building, “Oh my fucking god!”

“What?”

Louis slowly began backing away from Harry, repeating “You asshole” over and over again. “I am such a fucking idiot, I can’t believe this. I _cannot_ believe this!”

“Lou, what the fuck are you talking about?”

He threw his hands up, shouting “Laundry Harry!” Louis’ hands start flying as he raised his voice, “I’m talking about laundry! Laundry as in what we tell your parents we’re doing in the basement of their house when you actually have me bent over the washing machine! You weren’t gonna buy detergent. You stopped to buy condoms. That’s why you wanted me to stay in the car, isn’t it?”

Harry didn’t say anything for a moment, unsure of how to respond - but his silence was all the answer that Louis needed.

“Lou, it’s not what you think….I -“

“You are such a fucking asshole!” Louis interrupted, rushing away from Harry and towards the restrooms, locking himself in the men’s room.

“Lou! Wait!” Harry called, taking off after him. “Let me explain, please.” He knocked on the door, “Lou? C’mon Louis, please” then put his ear up to it, hearing water running, but still able to make out the soft sound of Louis’ sobs. “Fuck” he mumbled under his breath, sliding down the door until he’s sitting on the floor.

It was gonna be a _long_ night.

***

_3 hours earlier…._

“Wow. You look….wow.”

Louis smiled. “It’s just a suit. There’s really nothing special about it.”

“It may be _just_ a suit, but it looks amazing on you. I should take you out more often so you have to dress up like this for me all the time.”

Louis ignored Harry’s comment, walking over to the mirror hanging in his hallway, taking a look at himself, smoothing out the black jacket and straightening his blue and green plaid tie. Harry came up behind him and smiled. “Seriously, you look incredible. I’m gonna have to keep my eyes on you….make sure you don’t go home with anyone else.” Their eyes met in the mirror and before Louis could respond Harry said “thank you.”

Louis turned around to face Harry, “for what?”

“For agreeing to come with me.” He paused, sighing, “I know that we’re not together and that you didn’t have to agree to come with me….I can’t tell you how much it means to me that we’re still able to be friends and that you -”

“Harry.” Louis interrupted, placing his hands on Harry’s chest, fixing his jacket, “I meant it, I’ll always be there for you. I….I couldn’t imagine not having you in my life and of course I agreed to go - there’s gonna be free food and drinks after all.”

Harry smiled brightly so that his dimple was showing and leaned over, kissing him on the forehead. “Don’t ever change Lou.”

Twenty minutes later, Harry pulled into the parking lot of the Italian restaurant where Harry’s company was holding their annual Christmas party. He had asked Louis to be his ‘plus one’ a few weeks ago - the day after Thanksgiving to be exact. He had been hesitant to bring up the subject to Louis, they had broken up the month before, but Harry knew that there was no one else he wanted next to him on his company’s special night. Louis had immediately said yes, reassuring Harry that it wouldn’t be awkward, they were friends - and always would be - even if they weren’t technically a couple anymore.

Harry had kept stealing glances at Louis the whole car ride over as he was animatedly telling Harry a story about one of the students in his Medieval Literature classes that he taught at the local college. Harry couldn’t help but smile as Louis retold the same exact story that he had told to Harry three days prior when they were hanging out at their favorite local bar.

“What? What is it? Why are you smiling at me like that?” Louis had asked when he caught Harry staring at him.

“I’m just….I’m just really happy that you’re here with me.”

Louis smiled back. “Oh. Yeah….me too” he added softly.

As they were walking towards the front door of the restaurant, Harry reached over and grabbed Louis’ hand, lacing their fingers together. Harry watched as Louis looked down at their hands and then up to him, his blue eyes sparkling - giving Harry butterflies in his stomach and sending shivers down his spine.

Harry had been attracted to Louis from the very first moment he had laid eyes on him - almost a year ago at a bar downtown. It had been New Year’s Eve and Louis was there with some friends - having a good time and laughing so loud that his voice carried across the bar. When Harry looked over to see where the laughter was coming from, he caught a glimpse of Louis on the other side of the crowded room. He had immediately been drawn to him and had abandoned his own friends, making his way over, using a stale pick-up line - which had surprisingly worked. They left the bar together and were inseparable from that night forward - until their break-up two months ago.

Harry gave Louis’ hand a squeeze and they walked the rest of the way across the parking lot with the biggest smiles on their faces.

“Shall we?” He asked as he held the door open for Louis.

Louis nodded in response, “We shall.”

***

“Lou? Please come out of the bathroom and let me explain. C’mon you’ve been in there for like ten minutes….just come out and talk to me already. Please.”

Suddenly, the door swung open, causing Harry - who had been leaning on it - to fall back. Louis stepped over him, looking down. “I don’t want to talk to you. You asked me to go to your Christmas party, you complimented me - telling me you wanted to take me out again, you held my hand on the way in, you made me think that….” He paused, not finishing his sentence, “yet the whole time you were planning on sleeping with someone else? That is really fucked up Harry - really fucked up. I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing but I don’t want any part of it. This store is big enough for the both of us, so just stay away from me until we can get the hell out of here.” He walked away, leaving Harry on the floor - half in the bathroom, half in the hallway, the door closing and hitting him in the head.

He let out a deep sigh, then sat up, watching as Louis made his way past the men’s section and towards the electronics. “Wait! Louis! That’s not….you have it all wrong!” He stood up, brushing himself off, “It’s you” he said, but Louis was out of his earshot. “I only want you.”

He would do anything to get Louis back - that’s what this whole night was about in the first place. If he could just explain himself to Louis, things would be a lot clearer.

Harry was an idiot for ever breaking up with Louis in the first place and he knew the moment that he had woken up the next morning that he had made probably the biggest mistake of his life in letting Louis go and that he wanted Louis back.

He had tried talking to Louis about giving their relationship another try. It was a few weeks after their break-up and they were hanging out at Louis’ apartment. Harry had mentioned something about taking Louis out on a date and Louis never responded. In fact - he completely changed the subject and so Harry had dropped it, but he kept making small comments here and there about taking Louis out or being with Louis. And every single time Louis either ignored him or veered the conversation away and began talking about something else.

But Harry just wasn’t happy with their current situation - he wanted what they had back. He wanted to be able to hold Louis’ hand whenever and wherever and kiss Louis whenever and wherever. He wanted to call Louis his and only his, the thought of Louis moving on with someone else was eating him up inside. He and Louis should be together, they belonged together.

He was determined to get Louis back - now more than ever. He had hoped that tonight would have been the beginning of their second chance, maybe it still could be. Although Louis was not making it easy on him. But then again, this was Louis after all and he’s nothing if not stubborn, hard-headed and difficult.

Harry sighed, heading out into the dark, empty store, intent on tracking Louis down and making him listen.

He heard Louis’ voice coming from what was the break room, according to the signs leading him in that direction. It sounded as though Louis was talking to someone. “No, I mean, I guess it’s not an _actual_ emergency per se. But couldn’t you just send….” Louis sighed, “no I understand, you’re right. Yeah….ok….thanks anyway.” He replaced the receiver softly and let out a deep sigh, looking up to the ceiling.

“No luck?”

Louis turned around suddenly, seeing Harry standing in the doorway. “No,” he shook his head. “Since we’re not technically in any actual danger, our situation isn’t considered an emergency and so….it looks like we’ll be here until morning.”

Louis crossed the room, closing the distance between them. Harry moved to block him from leaving and Louis looked up to meet Harry’s gaze. “I….Harry, I don’t want to fight with you anymore, just please let me pass.”

Harry saw the defeat in Louis’ eyes - this whole night, this whole misunderstanding had obviously affected him a lot more than Harry had originally thought. He had just figured Louis was being a brat, but now he can see that it’s much more than that.

“Lou….”

“Please, just….please Harry.”

Harry silently nodded, stepping out of the way and letting Louis pass by. He leaned against the doorway, it hitting him all over again how much he loved Louis, has always loved Louis, would only ever love Louis.

***

_2 hours earlier…._

“You must be Harry’s boyfriend. He is always going on and on about the beautiful blue-eyed man that he’s in love with.”

“Is he now? Oh well then you must tell me more.”

“Louis, c’mon, let’s go dance.” Harry stood up, pulling Louis’ arm, trying to get him up from the table as quickly as possible.

“Not now….” Louis pulled his arm back, “Mary? It’s Mary right? Well Mary here was just about to tell me _allllllll_ about the man that you’re in love with….” He turned towards Harry, smirking “and I would _really_ like to hear about him.”

Harry pulled Louis’ arm once again, this time harder, leaving him no choice except to stand up and follow Harry across the crowded banquet room.

“What the fuck was that all about Harry?” Louis asked as soon as Harry stopped yanking him and let him go.

“She wasn’t talking about you, you know.”

Louis laughed, “yeah sure. Of course she wasn’t. She was talking about some other beautiful blue-eyed guy. Let me ask you - how long have I known you? Just about a year right? Do you know what I learned during the past year? I can _always_ tell when you’re lying - you do this thing with your fingers….you start playing with your bottom lip - kinda like how you’re doing _right now._ Just admit that you’re in love with me.”

“Lou….” Harry sighed, taking his hand away from his mouth, “you know that I love you, part of me always will always love you but we broke up and -“

“Two months ago. We broke up two months ago and _you_ expect _me_ to believe that in the past two months you’ve fallen madly in love with someone else? And when exactly did that happen because you spend all of your free time with _me._ And where did you meet this person because once again - you spend all of your free time with _me_. So I’m calling bullshit. I don’t understand what the problem is - just admit that it’s me.”

“And I don’t understand why you have to be such a _prick_ about this?”

Louis was about to respond, but stopped himself, looking at Harry with wide eyes. Harry had raised his voice - something that he never did, especially to Louis.

“You know what? Just forget it.” Harry stormed off in the direction of the bar, leaving Louis standing alone, wondering if he had just pushed Harry away for good.

***

Harry started walking around the store - past the toys and books, around the corner to the kitchenware department - looking for Louis, to make sure he was ok, but mainly Harry really wanted to find him and talk to Louis so he could clear up this misunderstanding about stopping for laundry detergent and condoms and to hopefully, maybe, possibly win Louis back.

The past two months had been hell for Harry - since the moment that he realized that he wanted Louis back and wanted to spend the rest of his life with Louis.

He had lasted for about three days after their break-up before he texted Louis and then began texting or calling him every single day. They started hanging out at Louis’ apartment, but spent the majority of their time together at Harry’s place since he didn’t have any roommates and Louis had two. They had also started going out to dinner or the bar together, they even went to the movies a couple of times.

Their relationship now really wasn’t much different than when they were actually a couple - except they hadn’t slept together (or with anyone) since breaking up. Harry knew for a fact that Louis wasn’t having sex with anyone else - he had let it slip out one night after too much tequila. And as for Harry? There was only one person that Harry wanted to have sex with - and he was someone in this store. And Harry was determined to find him.

However, knowing Louis the way that he did - which was better than he knew himself - just talking wasn’t going to do the trick. He needed to _do_ something - something so grand, something so big, something that would make Louis understand exactly how much he meant to Harry, exactly how much Harry loved him, exactly how much Harry wanted him back and exactly how much Harry regretted their break-up in the first place.

As he made his way by the housewares section, he spotted it out of the corner of his eye. He knew immediately what he was going to do, what he had to do. It was going to be perfect, it was going to be exactly what he needed in order to win Louis back.

He jogged to the front of the store and grabbed a shopping cart. He took off his jacket and tie, tossing them in the basket, he unbuttoned the top buttons of his dress shirt and rolled his sleeves up to his elbows. He was ready to get to work, showing Louis just how much he meant.

Harry started filling the cart up with all of the supplies that he needed - blankets, pillows, dishes, cups, snacks and drinks. He then wheeled over to the electronics section, selecting a radio and some CDs. He ended up at the back of the store, in the section where all the holiday decorations were on display. He tossed a few more items into the cart before getting started on his plan to make up the past two months to Louis.

He made a special stop and spent some extra time sorting through and choosing the one item that he had originally came here for - the one thing that he knew would explain everything to Louis.

Setting everything up took him longer than he originally thought it would because as soon as he was done, he would take a step back, shake  his head disapprovingly, then rearrange things. After the third time he was finally done and happy with how everything looked - perfect and romantic - just like Louis.

He took one last look at his handiwork and once he was satisfied that it was just right, he found the nearest intercom. He began pressing all of the buttons until his voice came over the speaker system.

“Excuse me shoppers, if there is a Mr. Louis Tomlinson in the store, he is needed in the holiday display section. I repeat, Mr. Louis Tomlinson, you are needed in the holiday display section.”

He rushed back over to where he had everything set up, crossed his fingers and waited.

And waited.

And waited.

_Fuck. C’mon Louis, please. This has to work, it just has to - c’mon Lou, please, please, ple-_

Finally he saw Louis walking towards him. God he was beautiful. Harry wondered if there would ever be a point in time where seeing Louis walk into a room didn’t take his breath away.

Louis had taken his tie off and had untucked his dress shirt, unbuttoning the top few buttons - showing off the chest tattoo that Harry loved running his fingertips and tongue over.

Harry watched as Louis’ eyes grew wider the closer he got to where Harry was standing. He clasped his hand over his mouth and gasped,  “What did you do? What’s all this?”

“Do you like it? I did it….it’s for you.”

Harry knew that Christmas was Louis’ favorite holiday, party because his birthday was the day before, so Harry had taken over the entire section of Christmas decorations. He had plugged all of the trees in and had rearranged them so that they were in a circle.

He had then set up a picnic in the middle of all the trees - Louis absolutely loved picnics and had insisted that Harry take him on one almost every weekend. And if it happened to be raining outside, then Louis insisted on having an indoor picnic - and Harry was always all too willing to grant Louis’ request because seeing Louis happy was everything.

The picnic he had set up tonight was filled with blankets and pillows and every single one of Louis’ favorite snacks. Harry had also plugged in the radio he had picked out from the electronics department and Christmas music was playing softly. Finally, there was a small Christmas gift bag sitting next to a bottle of wine.

Louis stopped in front of Harry. “Harry, I….I’m not….I….I can’t do this.” He tried turning to walk away, but Harry caught his hands.

“Do what? Lou, what are you talking about? Don’t you like it? If you don’t I can -“ Harry stopped talking when saw tears in Louis’ eyes and while he had hoped they were tears of joy, the look on Louis’ face said otherwise. “Lou, talk to me, please.”

“I don’t….I can’t be friends with you anymore.”

***

_1 hour earlier…._

“Do you really need to stop for laundry detergent now? For fuck’s sakes Harry it’s almost eleven - and it’s Saturday. Just take me home, I _really_ need to pee.”

Harry keeps his attention focused on the road, not meeting Louis’ eyes, “I’ll be two minutes I promise - I just….I just need to run in and grab some detergent. Then I’ll drop you off at home.”

Louis turned to look out the passenger window. “Whatever.”

“Why do you have to be like that? I’m sorry about snapping at you in the restaurant ok? It’s just….” Harry sighed, “I just want to end the night on a good note, don’t ruin it.”

That caused Louis to sit up straight in his seat, obviously riled up. He began talking animatedly with his hands, “me? I was doing _you_ a favor by going to your stupid company holiday party in the first place. And now I would like to go home.” He looked to Harry. “Next time find yourself a better date then.”

“Maybe I will.” Harry rubbed his forehead with the fingers of his left hand. “Fuck. I didn’t….just drop it ok?”

“Is that why you stormed off and disappeared? Leaving _me_ alone with _your_ co-workers? Were you looking for….did you….you know what - you’re right, just drop it, forget it, nevermind, you obviously haven’t changed at all since we broke up.”

Now it was Harry’s turn to be riled up, “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” Harry pulled the car into the parking lot of Target, turning it off and looking to Louis.

“You’re still as selfish as ever aren’t you? It’s always about what _you_ need, what _you_ want. Here I am, asking to be dropped off so I can just end this night and go home and use the fucking bathroom, but nooooo - your quest for fucking laundry detergent of all things takes precedence.”

“Oh I’m selfish? That’s hilarious coming from you.”

Harry got out of the car, “I’ll be two minutes,” slamming the door and cursing as he started making his way to the front entrance of the store.

He heard the other door slam and watched as Louis began running across the parking lot towards the store, “fuck Louis, I told you -“

“Fuck off! _I_ told _you_ that I needed to pee.”

They got into the store, promising the security guard that they would only be two minutes since it was nearly closing time and Louis took off in the direction of the bathroom with Harry close behind him.

“Aren’t you going to get your stupid detergent?”

Harry shook his head. “I’ll get it some other time.”

“What the fuck Harry? You were so god damn adamant that you needed it tonight and now all of a sudden you’ve had a change of heart. I don’t understand you.”

Harry followed Louis into the bathroom, “And I don’t understand why you just couldn’t stay in the car like I asked you to. You know, you never listen to me when I -”

“In case you forgot, we broke up - and if you want to get technical about it - _you_ broke up with _me_ so therefore I don’t have to listen to you anymore.”

“You know what Louis, just fucking forget it. Hurry up so we can get out of here and I can drop you off, I’ve had enough for tonight.”

“Yeah, well the feeling is mutual.”

They left the bathroom a few minutes later after having washed up and when they opened the door, stepping out into the store, the entire building was dark and quiet. The lights were turned off and there weren’t any people anywhere.

They took a look around and then to each other, Louis speaking first, “Are we….oh my god, Harry!  Are we locked in?”

Louis took off running for the front doors and Harry let out a deep breath as he followed, this night was _not_ going at all as he had hoped.

***

“What? Louis, what are you talking about? You can’t be serious.”

“I….Harry….I can’t be _just_ your friend. I want more than that. I want us. I want you. You always make these comments about taking me out on dates or being with me and fuck, I want that and if I can’t have that, then -”

“You can.” Harry laced his fingers with Louis’ and continued, “Oh god Louis, you can. That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you.”

“I….I don’t understand.”

Harry pulled Louis with him towards the makeshift picnic he had set up. “Come and sit. We obviously have some things to discuss.”

They sat down on the blanket and Harry took a deep breath. “Ok, here goes….I want you back.”

Louis started to say something but Harry stopped him. “I want you and I want us and I want things to go back to how they were before that stupid, stupid night in the rain when I told you that I needed space. I’ve been trying all night, for the past two months actually, to….god Louis….I just miss you. I miss us and I want….give me another chance, give us another chance. Please.”

“But I thought….at the party, the way that you reacted when that woman….Harry you came here to buy condoms so you could go and fuck someone else and yet you’re here asking me for another chance….just tell me why.”

“Because that woman is the office gossip and I don’t want or need her in my business. And at that restaurant - surrounded by all of my drunk co-workers - wasn’t exactly the right time or place for me to confess my love to you and ask for a second chance. And….that’s not why I wanted to stop here. Louis, for god's sakes - I don’t want anyone else, I don’t want to sleep with anyone else, the _only_ person that I want in my bed is _you_.”

“Wait. Did you….did you really come here for laundry detergent?”

Harry smiled, “no, not that either. I came for this.” He leaned over and picked up the small Christmas gift bag from the floor, handing it to Louis. “Open it.”

Louis took the bag and looked inside, then looked up to Harry, tears streaming down his face. “Harry….” He pulled out a key that was attached to a keychain that was shaped like a house. “I -“

“I know that that night in the rain I told you that I wanted space from you but Lou, that is the _last_ thing that I want. I want the opposite. I want to wake up next to you every morning and I want to fall asleep in your arms every night.” Louis reached over and gently wiped away the tears that had started falling down Harry’s cheeks. “I want your clothes hanging in my closet and your toothbrush on the sink next to mine. I want to cook dinner with you and watch those stupid, stupid game shows that you love so much. I want to kiss you and hold your hand, I want to touch you and make love to you. I want you - I want everything with you. I thought I needed space but what I really need is….you. You’re my love, you’re my very best friend, you’re my _home._ And I want….Louis, move in with me.”

Louis climbed into Harry’s lap, straddling his legs, caressing his face. Harry grabbed onto Louis’ hips as their eyes met, neither of them saying anything for a few moments, before Harry broke the silence.

“I’m so sorry Louis. I’m so sorry that I ever broke up with you in the first place. I’m so sorry that I made you think you were stubborn or selfish or that I was ever interested in anyone else.” He paused before continuing “but what I’m most sorry about is that I ever made you think that I didn’t love you, because Louis….I do, I love you. I love you with all of my heart, you are….you are the love of my life and I am going to tell you and show you every single day just how much you mean to me, just how much I love -“

Louis crushed his lips to Harry’s, running his fingers through Harry’s hair and resting them on the back of his neck, pulling him in closer.

Harry felt Louis’ tongue lick his lips and he opened his mouth, allowing Louis access - their tongues tangling together.

He gripped onto Louis’ hips tighter and moaned into Louis’ mouth, before Louis broke their kiss, looking to Harry. “Say it again,” he whispered, “tell me again.”

“I love you. I love you Louis, god I love you with everything that I have. There is no one else for me - you’re it, you’re the one.”

Louis kissed him again. “Yes. Yes I’ll move in with you.”

Harry moved his hands to the small of Louis’ back and leaned them backwards onto the pillows that he had set up earlier. Louis leaned his head on Harry’s chest and placed his hand over Harry’s heart. “This is mine” he whispered so soft that Harry could barely hear him.

“It always was. It always will be.”

They stayed like that - lying on the blankets and pillows, under the Christmas trees, listening to the music, Harry rubbing Louis’ back, Louis running his fingers up and down Harry’s arm until Harry finally spoke “Lou? Umm, I have….I have a confession to make.”

Louis took his head off of Harry’s chest, looking up, “ok.”

“I didn’t only come in for the keychain….you….you were right, I was gonna buy condoms. I was hoping we’d end up naked, in my bed, with you riding me, until we were both breathless and panting and then we’d fall asleep in each other’s arms.”

Harry heard Louis’ breath hitch, “that sounds….that sounds really….”

Harry kissed the top of Louis’ head, “hot? Amazing? Incredible? Because you are all of those things. And being with you is all of those things. And god, I just….I just love you so much.”

Louis put his head back down on Harry’s chest, “I love you.”

They laid in silence, Harry felt Louis’ breathing even out, signalling he was fast asleep.

Maybe the night hadn’t gone exactly how he had planned it - but it had ended with Louis in his arms again - where he belonged - and that’s all that mattered.

***

“Did you find everything you were looking for?” the friendly cashier asked as Harry put his items up on the conveyor belt.

He looked to Louis, who was thumbing through a celebrity gossip magazine and nodded. “I did.”

They had been woken up by the morning staff members and after explaining what had happened, they helped put everything back in its place.

Now, Harry was in the process of buying the snacks and drinks that he had picked out for Louis’ picnic. He planned on locking Louis away in _their_ bedroom for the next week or so and figured they would be working up quite the appetite.

“Oh wait, we forgot something. Hold on one minute. I’ll be right back.” He replaced the magazine on the rack and started walking away, Harry calling after him.

“What did we forget?”

Louis turned back, placing his hands on his hips, “Laundry detergent!”

Harry looked at him, puzzled, “But I don’t need laundry detergent. I told you -“

“Yes! Yes you do! You have a lot of laundry to do, a lot - two months worth! Laundry that requires your immediate attention! Laundry that needs to get done as soon as possible!” He rushed off down the middle of the store, yelling, “I can’t wait for laundry!”

Harry busted out laughing, turning back to the cashier, shrugging. “Laundry is our favorite thing to do on our time off.”

**Author's Note:**

> Dear Reader,
> 
> I know that 'thank you' seems overused at times, seems insincere at times, seems not enough at times, but it comes from the bottom of my heart.
> 
> Thank you.
> 
> Until next time,
> 
> Melissa  
> hadtobelou on tumblr


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